Pull Start
Mon Feb 16, 2009 8:19 pm
I have read that it is possible to pull start an R-1830 with a rope. You need to wrap the rope around the propeller dome so that pulling it will cause the propeller and engine to spin in the proper direction. You can pull the rope with men or a vehicle.
My question is does anyone have or know where to find pictures of this process?
My question is does anyone have or know where to find pictures of this process?
Mon Feb 16, 2009 8:33 pm
You're not thinking of trying it are you? 
Mon Feb 16, 2009 8:35 pm
This is about an 1830, right? Why did they bother with the rope?
We've hand prop'd them many times. Gotta wear gloves, though.
VL
We've hand prop'd them many times. Gotta wear gloves, though.
VL
Mon Feb 16, 2009 8:35 pm
I am sure Jack will dig it up, but there is a pic of a F6F being started with bungee cords and a boot that fit over the end to a blade.
Mon Feb 16, 2009 8:36 pm
vlado wrote:This is about an 1830, right? Why did they bother with the rope?
We've hand prop'd them many times. Gotta wear gloves, though.
VL
Sounds like a fighter pilot story, we need proof
Re: Pull Start
Mon Feb 16, 2009 8:37 pm
From what I am told there is a ACTUAL Tool issued for this.John Dupre wrote:I have read that it is possible to pull start an R-1830 with a rope. You need to wrap the rope around the propeller dome so that pulling it will cause the propeller and engine to spin in the proper direction. You can pull the rope with men or a vehicle.
My question is does anyone have or know where to find pictures of this process?
ITs a rope with a large canvas sock that goes over the end of the prop blade. My uncle had to use one onetime on a DC-3. They used a TUG to pull the engine through.
Mon Feb 16, 2009 8:37 pm
an 1830 started with a pull rope?? i can't even get my lawn mower to cooperate!!!
Mon Feb 16, 2009 8:38 pm
The PV-2 manuals describe a pull-start for the R-2800, but it was a firewall-mounted device. Looks like you'd pull the rope more than once, increasing the speed of the starter inertial drive each time, until finally you engaged it and cranked it a bit.
Knowing how these things start up, this would have been a killer to keep up for any length of time. Phew.
Knowing how these things start up, this would have been a killer to keep up for any length of time. Phew.
Mon Feb 16, 2009 8:44 pm
Matt:
Hope I'm not confuzed.....(hmmm, what was that again?).....isn't the 1830 the SNJ engine that we are talking about? They were installed in Texas rice spreader Stearmans. Not all of these had starters. Friends of mine (crop dusters by trade) have one they rescued from the trash. It needs to be propped to get started. [You only need to know one airspeed to get checked out: 85mph!!]
VL
Hope I'm not confuzed.....(hmmm, what was that again?).....isn't the 1830 the SNJ engine that we are talking about? They were installed in Texas rice spreader Stearmans. Not all of these had starters. Friends of mine (crop dusters by trade) have one they rescued from the trash. It needs to be propped to get started. [You only need to know one airspeed to get checked out: 85mph!!]
VL
Mon Feb 16, 2009 8:51 pm
I just recently saw a video from some old airshows and it shows a B-25 getting started that way. I kinda looks like John Maloney was the rope man not sure though. One of the guys at the squadron brought in the video (because he was flying in it) I will ask him what the deal was.
BTW I have hand propped T-6's a bunch.
BTW I have hand propped T-6's a bunch.
Mon Feb 16, 2009 10:06 pm
vlado wrote:Matt:
Hope I'm not confuzed.....(hmmm, what was that again?).....isn't the 1830 the SNJ engine that we are talking about? They were installed in Texas rice spreader Stearmans. Not all of these had starters. Friends of mine (crop dusters by trade) have one they rescued from the trash. It needs to be propped to get started. [You only need to know one airspeed to get checked out: 85mph!!]
VL
Vlado,
The T-6 has a R-1340, single row engine, the R-1830 is a twin row engine. I have seen 1340's hand propped, but they are a low compression engine. 985s would be just as easy to do.
Pull Start
Mon Feb 16, 2009 10:21 pm
P-51's have been started this way as well. There is, as mentioned in an earlier post, a cuff that goes over the end of a blade attached to a rope....this was done at Reno in the early 80's as I recall........
???
Mon Feb 16, 2009 10:22 pm
There's promo video showing the Aero Trader B-25 getting #1 started
by wrapping and roping around the hub and I'm thinking to a truck then driving away.
Took a couple trys but it worked. My former neighbor flew (among other types) C-47s.
He said they had a kit for doing this that consisted of a boot that went over the blade
tip and a nylon rope to attach to a jeep. He said they were doing it once and the boot didn't
come off and when the P & W caught it pull the jeep backwards into the prop 
by wrapping and roping around the hub and I'm thinking to a truck then driving away.
Took a couple trys but it worked. My former neighbor flew (among other types) C-47s.
He said they had a kit for doing this that consisted of a boot that went over the blade
tip and a nylon rope to attach to a jeep. He said they were doing it once and the boot didn't
come off and when the P & W caught it pull the jeep backwards into the prop
Mon Feb 16, 2009 10:28 pm
There have been previous threads on this subject. I think this procedure is in the B-29 manual as well.
Mon Feb 16, 2009 11:56 pm
At a Temora airshow in 2006 the DC3 we were travelling in had a starter motor failure on the starboard engine.
It worked.
It worked.